Although the degree of atmospheric warming remains uncertain, the impact of climate change on drowning risk is already taking place and can no longer be ignored. 

Greater evidence characterizing the links between drowning and climate change across both high-income and low-income and middle-income contexts is required, and the implementation and evaluation of drowning interventions must reflect climate change risks at a local level, accounting for both geographical variation and the consequences of inequality. 

Furthermore, collaboration between the injury prevention, disaster risk reduction and climate change mitigation sectors is crucial to both prevent climate change from stalling progress on preventing drowning and further advocate for climate change mitigation as a drowning risk reduction mechanism.

~ From "Drowning risk and climate change: a state-of-the-art review" (Sindall et al, 2021)

Our Warming Climate: Emerging Risks Affecting Drowning Prevention / Water Safety Education  

Drowning is a cross-sectoral public health challenge, as is planetary/environmental health and urban planning/design. The intersection of these three cross-sectoral issues have profound implications for life and health in our 21st century world. 

Emerging literature links climate change to drowning risk in complex ways. Sindall et al. (2021) highlight how extreme weather events such as floods, hurricanes, and storm surges increase drowning hazards, particularly in marginalized communities lacking resilient infrastructure. In California, prolonged droughts and extreme heat waves simultaneously heighten demand for safe recreational water spaces while straining municipal resources for pool construction and maintenance. Meanwhile, urban heat islands disproportionately affect low-income communities, further underscoring the inequities of access to cooling and recreation (California Reparations Task Force, 2023).

Globally, the World Health Organization (2014) identifies drowning as a neglected epidemic, one that intersects with mass migration, climate change, and child health. Localized planning efforts, such as pool construction or refurbishment, must therefore integrate sustainability features—water recycling, energy efficiency, and stormwater management (e.g. retention ponds)—to remain viable under climate stress. 

Addressing drowning disparities is no longer just a matter of recreation but also of climate adaptation and resilience in the built environment.

Next Module:

Environmental & Climate Challenges